Breaking Boundaries
by snowcloud8
Summary: Sometime after the Battle of Hogwarts, a new alumni of witches and wizards attend Hogwarts in 2005. A half-blood dealing with her parents' divorce, a Pureblood trying to live up to her family's name, and a muggle-born transfer student from Sweden. Things sure are changing here at Hogwarts, but maybe for the better. A collab with Illeana Starbright. OCs and some canon characters.
1. Chapter 1: Wonderland (Alice's Story)

**Chapter 1: Wonderland (Alice's Story)**

It was 10:47 am at the Kings Cross Train Station in London, England.

Today was the first day of the new school year, and Mum had us all ready for it. Our backpacks were packed, our lunches were made, and pictures were taken.

She even dressed us up in similar outfits, even though we were supposed to go to different schools. I wore a green, collared tee shirt with a black jumper and navy knee-socks, while my sister Joanna wore a blue version of my outfit with black stockings. While my sister had some of her hair pulled back into a small ponytail with a hair bow, I had my hair parted down the middle and held back by a dark brown clip on each side; it blended well together with my equally brown hair and eyes.

"But muuuuuuum, why do _I _still have to go to our old school, while Alice gets to go off to some fancy boarding school?" whined Joanna, my nine year old- excuse me -_nine-and-a-half_ year old sister. Her hazel eyes watered in crocodile tears.

"Because you're not old enough to go to boarding school, Miss Mouse," replied my mother, Faye Witchburn, as she wearily tucked a strand of her own brown and blonde-highlighted hair behind her ear. Her short hair often fell over her face, despite it only coming halfway down her neck.

"Don't call me 'Miss Mouse,'" Jo huffed, folding her arms with a cross expression. Her black hair bow fell over a bit before Mother laughed and straightened it.

"I'll call you 'Miss Mouse' if I want to, Miss Mouse." Mum smiled, examining her work. Even though we were children, she stood dauntingly over us at six feet. "Now make sure to be safe. Play nice. And-"

"Don't talk to strangers, I know, I know..." I groaned as I rolled back my head, hearing this speech rehearsed a gazillion times before. While she and my sister were going to take the train south for Joanna's school, I was going to take a different train for my own school.

"And be sure to change your underwear every day-"

"Muuum! I'm not FIVE!" Embarassment now flushed over my face.

"I know, but you have to be told. After that one time of wearing the same underwear for almost a w-"

"Mum! I've explained this! I. Didn't. Have. Any. Clean. Ones." We bantered like this back and forth before we were at Platforms Nine and Ten.

"Ah, looks like this is your stop."

"Explain to me again how I'm going to get on Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters?" I looked at the ticket in my hand that read a non-existing train station.

"You have to walk straight in-between the stations nine and ten. Then you can board the Hogwarts Express."

"You're not going to send me off?"

"I can't, honey. I've got to drop Joanna off at school soon."

"Oh, then dad will do it? Speaking of which, where is he? Will he be here soon?" I asked hopefully, looking around for a bald middle-aged man.

"I'm sorry, sweetie... He couldn't make it. He's caught up at work again."

"Oh..." I mumbled, slowly falling from happiness to disappointment. That was the third time in two weeks my dad had bailed on us. I knew he was busy pushing papers at his company as the office supervisor, but we hardly ever got to see him anymore. And this was going to be the last time I was going to see him until Christmas break!

"You'll get to see him again around Christmas time, I promise." My mother reassured, but it didn't lift my spirits much. I was being sent to a boarding school for almost a year. But not just any boarding school. A _wizarding _boarding school!

I still couldn't believe that I was a witch. I was always treated differently in elementary school, but I thought that was because I was one of the "special kids." Then again, I should have seen the signs.

During third and fourth grade, whenever I got bullied, things randomly broke or hurled themselves at my enemies. Girls I quarreled with often found themselves tangled up in the swing-sets, while boys who pushed me down had been magically pushed over themselves. It wasn't until I was sent home after a particular incident of paste and hair-pulling that my mother told me that I was a witch, and that my whole family, at least on her side, were witches and wizards too. At first, I thought she was joking when she handed me a letter from Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Then she decided to charm the tea kettle and make it sing and whistle "I'm a Little Teapot."

You could say I was surprised. I had been terrified of witches ever since I was six after watching Disney's_ Hocus Pocus_ and a particularly bad incident involving Roald Dahl's _The Witches_. Now, I was just a bit neutral about them. But never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought I was one!

I could still remember the day my mom took me to Ollivander's to get my wand.

_"Okay, so we've got your robes and your cauldron, a telescope, phials..." Mum read over the school supply list as I sighed. I was starting to feel particularly cross at the fact that I had to shop for and try on new clothes. "And since we already have Grace, you won't be needing a pet."_

_"Awww come on, Mum, why not? I promised I'll take care of it."_

_"Because I said so," she interjected forcefully. "There's no reason to get another pet, and it's expensive enough as it is feeding and caring for that cat. Besides, the only pet that would be useful in the shop is an owl, and I told you that you could borrow my owl Digger."_

_"Here we are," my mum announced, stopping in front of a shop named Ollivander's Wand Shop. "Now here's seven galleons and meet me at Flourish and Blotts when you're done picking out your wand. I'll be there picking up the rest of your books."_

_She then dropped seven gold coins into my hand and grabbed ahold of my sister's arm and drug her down the north side of Diagon Alley. I pushed open the door, hearing the tinkling of the bell. It was a rather small, dusty little cluttered shop. Anyone who was claustrophobic would've had a nervous breakdown trying to get around all the stacks and mounds of rectangular boxes._

_"Excuse me? I'd like to purchase a wand," I called out, not seeing a store clerk in sight. Suddenly, an old man with wild greyish-white hair peaked out behind a stack of wands in the back of the store. He reminded me a bit of Albert Einstein._

_"Oh hello. And what is your name?"_

_"Alice, sir. Alice Witchburn."_

_"...Witchburn?" he blinked._

_"Yes...What's wrong with my name?"_

_"Oh!" he stumbled as his gaze retracted back into focus. "Nothing! It's just a very unusual name."_

_"So is Ollivander," I retorted, frowning slightly that even people in the wizarding world were going to make fun of my name._

_"I just meant that for a witch to be called 'witchburn'... it's just very unusual." With that said, he didn't push the matter further. "Anyways, Alice, let's see if I've got the wand for you."_

_He climbed and brought down a small black box, no bigger than ten inches long._

_"Try this. Hawthorn, dragon-heart string." I took the stick from him and waved, but nothing happened. I handed him it back to him right as he pulled out another box, only slightly longer._

_"How about this one? Elm with a phoenix feather." I waved. Still nothing. He tried this with five more wands before he smiled a most curious smile._

_"Hmmm... yes. I think I know the right wand for you." I reached out and grasped the wand, expecting another dud, before I suddenly felt a warm and abrupt energy going up my hand and all throughout my body._

_"It's like its alive!" I gasped, almost dropping the wand in surprise._

_"Wands are alive, in a way."_

_"What's the one I'm holding?"_

_"Hazel and an unicorn hair, thirteen-and-one-quarter inches, hard." Ollivander stated with a certain twinkle in his eye. "This is a very special wand, Alice. Be sure to take good care of it and yourself. Wands can sense when their wielders are in distress, and that sometimes can have negative repercussions for the user and the wand."_

That's what he told me. So strange, it was like he knew my situation just by letting me try out wands. My family had been going through a bit of a rough patch ever since my parents told me they were getting a divorce. Dad had moved out to go live with his girlfriend Sabrina in some shady apartment, while my mother, sister, and I had to leave behind our old country house to move into a small condominium in the city.

She told me that my being a witch had nothing to do with the divorce or my father leaving, but I think she wasn't sure. At this point, I didn't care. I just wanted to get out of that house. If becoming a witch did it, so be it!

"Love you," she said, hugging me close. Reluctantly, I hugged her back.

"Love you too..." I think, deep down inside, I knew I was going to miss her. And my sister also. She was the only other person who could stand all my zaniness.

"I'll try to write often." I glanced at Joanna, who just gave me a quick hug and shuffled back behind our mother.

"Nervous?" my mum asked. I was ten years old and I was venturing off to my first "sleep-away camp," alone, knowing virtually nothing about magic, by running into a brick wall. Nervous was the first and foremost thing on my mind!

"Just get a running start in between those two signs. You'll be there before you know it. Okay, sweetie, good luck!"

My mother ushered my cart towards the column, and with great reluctance, I barreled with all my might towards that daunting brickwall.


	2. Chapter 2: Starting Fresh-Nicole's Story

**Chapter 2: Starting Fresh (Nicole's Story)**

**~Written by Illeana Starbright~**

King's Cross Station was filled with Muggles. The tinny rubbish Muggles called music assaulted my ears as I followed my Mum and little brother through the oblivious crowds. My six year old brother, true to form, was dancing every time Mum was forced to pause in our trip towards Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters. I scowled behind him, folding my arms over the fabric of my purple checked sundress, wishing I could make him stop. It wasn't respectable behavior for our family. My mother worked for the Ministry of Magic, releasing press statements from them, while my father was home temporarily writing a historical account of famous Pure-Blood families.

"Danny stop it!" I hissed when we were forced to pause again and he turned, sticking his tongue out at me. We were a matched set, blonde hair and big brown eyes, that adults had often cooed over when we were younger. For the most part we get along well but occasionally, in public or around my old friends, he was a bloody pain.

"Leave your brother alone," Mum chided as we arrived at the wall between the Muggle platforms Nine and Ten. "And Daniel stop antagonizing your sister."

"Come on Mum," I insisted. "Or we'll be late and I'll never be able to find River before the train leaves!" River Harmon was the only friend I had left. Early on, before I'd been required to go to school because Mum had taken care of my education, I'd been popular. Then one of my best friends had taken over the clique by force. Brook was my friend no longer but she had taken my popularity and everyone but River along with her.

"They will wait for us," Mum replied with a smile. Then she calmly led the way through the wall, tugging my little brother along with her. I followed right behind. On the platform it was hard to keep that professional, Pure-Blood air about me that all the old books insisted was part of what distinguished Pure-Bloods from other less respectable types of wizards. Witches and Wizards were everywhere on the platform but they were dominated by the sight of a massive red steam engine. For a moment I could only stare in awe until I heard a nasty little snicker. The sound was not even directed at me, it was a few older girls whispering about someone they knew, but it was enough to remind me that I needed to keep up my front. I couldn't allow anyone to see how badly those I had previous trusted had hurt me. This was a fresh start.

Well, perhaps not completely fresh. I spotted River across the crowded station and suddenly was leading the way. He was settled on his trunk, Hogwarts: A History. I couldn't stop the grin from crossing my face at the sight. River and I were great readers, devourers of any books placed into our hands. I had already finished the written history of Hogwarts, and had planned to look into my other school books only to be distracted by a history of the witch burnings, which had been hardly effective. I settled down on his trunk next to him, grinning when he jumped. "Good summer?" I asked, waiting patiently until he'd slipped his bookmark inside his book before speaking.

"Wonderful," he told me, face lighting up with enthusiasm. "Dad taught Sean and I some new Quidditch tips and tricks." River was obsessed with Quidditch, although admittedly he wasn't very athletic. His brother Sean, a year younger than him, was much more suited to the sport than River, not that stopped him from playing it regardless.

"Mum and Dad bought me a new broomstick for my birthday," I told him. "Dad said that if I keep practicing I might be able to become Keeper next year for my House team."

"That's great," River said and Daniel poked my side sharply. I tried to ignore him but, like the persistently annoying person he was, he kept poking me.

"What?" I snapped at him after a moment.

"Mum says it's time to get on the train." River and I exchanged nervous, excited looks before turning to hug our parents good-bye.

"Have fun and we'll all see you at Christmas time sweetie," Mum told me when she let me go. I nodded, my lip wobbling a bit, and put on a brave front as River and I boarded the Hogwarts Express, searching for the nearest empty compartment. When we found it we raced to the window, abandoning all dignity for a moment to wave good-bye, River even dropping Hogwarts: A History on one of the benches. We waved until our families were out of sight. For a moment once they were gone tears welled in my eyes that I struggled to hold in. I hadn't cried when Brook had taken away almost all my friends. I refused to cry now.

"Oh," River said suddenly. "I almost forgot, I brought that book I promised you." My entire outlook brightened at that as he scrambled on the bench, balancing as best he could to dig the book out of his trunk. Dragons: A Basic Primer, the cover read and I sank down on my seat, flipping it open eagerly. "It's brilliant," he told me. "And the illustrations are amazing." I nodded quickly in agreement, captivated by the green dragon coiled around the title page that kept flicking its tail. For a while we sat as the train chugged on, reading in comfortable silence. Then someone slid open the door on our compartment. It was a boy about our age with dark brown hair and matching eyes, an old friend of River's and a casual acquaintance of me, or at least had been when I'd still had more than one friend; Tyler Emerson. The two greeted each other happily and I found myself feeling suddenly lonely. Still I put on a brave face and glanced out the window at the passing green side, dreaming wistfully of the coming fresh start.


	3. Chapter 3: Newt Kid (Robynn's Story)

**Chapter 3: Newt Kid (Robynn's Story)**

"Just one more."

A pale girl with deepest brown hair and many freckles was shielding herself from an attacker, but not in the way you would expect. She was protecting herself from a slightly taller, stockier woman with dark brown hair and grey-blue eyes.

"Come on, Robynn. Just one more picture," my mother said as she loomed over my face with a camera.

"Nooo _mamma_, that's enough!" I complained, putting my hands in front of my face. Mamma had been trying to learn everything she could to prepare me for school. Over my long black robes, I wore athletic shorts with a warm yellow tee shirt and had my hair braided into two pigtails that went down past my shoulders. My robe was a bit big on me, since I was short for my age and it was a second-hand wizarding robe. But the people at the store said I'd grow into it.

"Just one more, _raring._ Smile for the camera!" I grimaced as my dark eyes dilated at the bright flash of a digital camera.

"Okay, but that's it. We have to go now!" I urged my mother to the door before she stopped and put her hands on her hips.

"Wait, Robynn. Wait just a second. Do you have everything?"

"Mamma, yes. I've got everything." I pointed to my worn out duffle bag sitting next to the door. It was stuffed with clothes, comics, a Gameboy Color, a cellphone, and a football (soccer).

"Do you have all your books?"

"Yes."

"All your clothes?

"Yes."

"Even your uniforms?"

"Yes." I rolled my eyes in irritation. She pondered for a moment on what else her daughter needed.

"How about Milo? Do you have him?"

"Ye-" I began before I looked down and didn't see he was there. "-wait! No! Crap! Be right back!" I quickly ran into my room and grabbed my portable carrier for Milo and his extra bins of food, which hopped and creaked in a frenzy. Milo was my leopard gecko. He didn't do much but lie in the sun and occasionally crawl onto my shoulder, but he seemed a bit restless today. Kind of like I was. He scattered around his container as I picked him up and carried him over to my bag before I snuck in an extra cricket for him to eat for the car ride.

We locked up, went down the apartment stairs and piled into my mother's broken down, purple Chrysler. Halfway to the British Embassy, I pulled out my old stuffed dog, _Lycklig_, out of my duffle bag.

He was white with crimson ears and had a big, red heart on his butt. I got him from some random store around Valentine's Day years ago, but he was my most favorite stuffed animal ever. I took him everywhere with me. The park, the Y (YMCA), even on a ferris wheel; in all the pictures my mother had, Lycklig was usually somewhere to be found in there with me. Except for school. I wasn't usually allowed to take him with me there, but I think today was an exception since I was going away for almost a whole year. It gave me a lot of comfort that he was there with me.

My family didn't get to travel very much, on account of we didn't have a lot of money. But we got by. _Pappa_ would help out sometimes, but he lived about a half hour away and was often busy at his day job.

Graciously, I was awarded a scholarship to Hogwarts for destitute families by the Ministry of Magic... whatever that was. I was still kind of new to this magical wizard-witch thing. Neither of my parents were wizards, so we were all a bit surprised when we received my letter to Hogwarts in the mail, via barn owl.

We were told to wait by the phone box next to the British Embassy to meet up with some of the Embassy's agents to assist us in transferring to England; we had already exchanged money through customs. Not long after we had arrived, I noticed two men coming out of the telephone booth. _Since when had they been in there?_

They stood at a hundred and seventy centimeters, which was overwhelming compared to my one hundred and forty centimeters.

"(Are you the new transfer student Robynn Davenport)?" one of them asked in rough Swedish.

"(Yes, she is)," my Mamma nodded. The other man now turned to me and leaned down on his knee.

"(Do you understand English)?" he asked.

"Yes, we both speak English. My father is an Englishman," I replied. Both of them were taken aback at my accent and well-mannered English, exchanging glances with each other before returning to the matter at hand.

"My name is Charleston, and this is Mr. Smelts. We're from the international relations department of Great Britain's Ministry of Magic. We are here to escort you to King's Cross Station in London."

Mr. Smelts had longish blonde hair that was pulled back and went to his shoulders and had a pointed nose that reminded me of hawk nose, while Mr. Charleston had a warmer, scruffier expression with short, combed auburn hair.

"How exactly are you going to do this?" Mamma asked. "I thought it strange when you said not to purchase an aeroplane ticket. We are hundreds of thousands of miles away from Great Britain."

"We are going to use this telephone booth," He pointed to the old telephone booth they had been standing next to.

"What?" Ms. Davenport exclaimed. "That phone box hasn't been used in years! Locked from the inside. I'm surprised that it's still here. No one ever uses them anymore."

"The phone is a two-way portkey, a transportation device for wizards. It will magically take us to the service entrance of King's Cross if you touch it," Charleston explained. "Since the booth can only fit two people, you and I can go in first. Doe is here to escort your mother, if she wishes to see you off."

"I do," she responded with no hesitation, not even waiting for me to utter a reply. Charleston tapped on the frame with a wand, unlocking it, and motioned forward, which I reluctantly did so. I was small enough so that it wasn't too crowded in the booth, but large enough to feel some degree of claustrophobia.

"Make sure to grab onto the phone the same time I do and not to let go until I say, okay?" I nodded in understanding and soon, both of us were sent whirling and flying around as soon as we did. It was like I was being flung around by my arm in a dizzying circle. I heard a loud "let go!" and landed on my feet before I tried to move forward and ended up tripping over my robe and landing on the ground with a thud in front of a large brick building. The ground was paved with hot, black asphalt and on the building's moniker wrote "King's Cross Station."

"You alright?" Charleston helped me up just as my mamma and her escort had appeared from the telephone booth behind us. I took Milo's container from his arm as my mother stumbled for balance.

"Wow, that was interesting..." she said as she held her head like it would keep her vision from spinning.

"Right this way, Miss Robynn. We already have your ticket purchased for the next train to Hogwarts."

It was the first day at my new school and everyone was gathering at the Kings Cross Train station. I was very excited by the hype. I saw many students carrying cages with owls, toads, cats, and even the occasional ferret on their luggage carts. Milo scuttled around in his cage, eying an appetizing, squirming brown frog a girl pulled out of a purple, pentagon box.

"Okay, this is where you venter off. In-between Platforms Nine and Ten," Charleston gestured to the brick wall. "Unfortunately, Muggles aren't allowed past the gate-"

"Muggles?" I tilted my head at the unusual phrase, never hearing it in English or Swedish tongue.

"Non-magic folk," Smelts grunted, speaking up for the first time since he'd been here.

"-So I'm afraid this is where you and your mother part ways." My mamma and I exchanged glances before she faced me and straightened out my shoulders.

"Okay, let me look at you." She placed her hands on both sides of my face. "_Åh, min kära lilla älskling._ You're all grown up."

I stood up straight and puffed my chest a bit. "Yep."

"I don't want you to leave. I'll just hide you away and keep you in a box so that you can stay young forever and live here with me," she joked, refusing to release me from her tight hug.

"Mamma, I have to go. Unless you want to lose all the light bulbs in the house." Whenever I saw a spider and freaked out, my magic sometimes would take it out on various light bulbs nearby and make them simultaneously explode. Of course, that just put me in the dark next to the still alive spider, which was not a good combination for my taste.

"Okay, _raring_, I love you. Be safe. Call me when you get there," She kissed my forehead and hugged me close.

"I will, _mamma,"_ I stared at her as she released me before I shuffled my duffle bag onto my shoulder

"Is the wall transparent or something?" I looked up at Mr. Charleston.

"Only until eleven o'clock; that's when the train leaves. Just make sure none of the other muggles can see you. Try to get a running start if it's too much to take."

Hesitantly, I made several attempts to walk through the wall, but was too nervous to complete it. Finally, gripping onto Milo's aquarium and Lycklig, I charged with a silent scream on my face before I felt the magic wall swallow up the world behind me. I kept running through the shadowy tunnel until I was greeted by another station with a large red and black steam engine. The platform above now read "Platform Nine and Three Quarters."

"Phew, I actually made it!" I thought aloud. Too soon to marvel over everything, I suddenly felt myself thrown to the ground by an oncoming cart. Milo's container fell over onto its side, the lid popping open from sharp contact of the concrete floor.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry!" The apologetic voice belonged to a tall girl with dark brown hair and eyes. She quickly leaned over and helped me up before we began to scoop back all the aquarium debris into Milo's cage while I grabbed onto Milo and made sure he wouldn't escape.

"Is he hurt? Are _you _hurt?" she said frantically. My body felt a bit banged up and my hands stung a bit from the slap of the concrete, but it wasn't anything I couldn't shake off in a half hour or so. I'd had worse football injuries than this.

"I'm fine. I think Milo's a bit shaken up, but I don't think he's hurt."

"Oh good," she sighed with relief. She noticed the stuffed toy on the ground before she picked it up and handed it to me. "Umm.. here's your dog."

"Thank-" I began as the call of 'all aboard' was declared by the conductor. Before anything else was said, the girl mumbled a couple more muddled apologies, grabbed her cart and took off for the train. Inclined to join her, I held Lycklig and tucked Milo back into his container as I boarded the train with feverish curiosity about the girl I had ran into and the other students I soon would be meeting.

**Author Note: And with that, we have completed the character prologues. Now, we will be moving into the actual story. Just fyi, the stuffed dog's name was Lucky in Swedish.**


	4. Chapter 4: The Sorting Segregation

**Chapter 4: The Sorting Segregation**

I couldn't believe I had hit someone with my trolley. I hadn't been in the wizarding world for all of five seconds, and I had already nearly killed somebody's pet. Smart move, Witchburn.

Handing my ticket to conductor, I boarded the large black and red steam engine. The Hogwart Express reminded me a lot of the trains my dad owned. He'd sometimes take me to a train fair with him when no one else could watch after my sister and I, and would let me watch the toy trains puff real steam and smoke while I blew my wooden train whistle for effect. But I couldn't touch anything. That was the rule about his fancy trains. You could look, but never touch.

Never having boarded a train in my entire life, it was quite an adventure. It was like Thomas the Tank engine and this was the Island of Sodor.

But being new to everything, I had no idea where to go or sit. A lot of the cabins were filled with upperclassmen, and the places I wanted to sit, people kept ushering me out into the hallway, saying that the seat was taken or that first years weren't allowed to sit here. I kept bumping into people with my trunk and violin case just to get a seat; Julie, my private violin teacher, wanted me to keep practicing my music, and even changed the strings so that I could learn viola. But the case was quite an obstruction in the narrow halls between train compartments. Some people even sent paper airplanes come to life at my head before I finally managed to find an empty cabin. And no one bothered me. Except for the trolley lady with the sweets cart, but she didn't have anything I liked. They had all this weird candy called Fizzing Whizzbees and chocolate frogs. Not the usual favorites of Skittles and Kit Kats that I was used to.

She asked if I wanted any for my friends, and I told her I didn't have any. She looked at me with a small, sad frown and moved onto the other cabins.

Apparently, even in the wizarding world, I was the odd one out. I was lonely, but it didn't bother me too much. It gave me more time to read. My mom had placed some sort of charm on my trunk so that I could take all the books that I wanted with me. But it didn't make the large case any easier to carry. Not sure where to put my stuff, I set it on the seat across from mine, gingerly setting down my cat's pet carrier. I then pulled out my_ Little House_ books and poured over my collection of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

While I read, it about broke my heart, hearing the pathetic mewing inside the cage throughout the whole journey. Grace didn't like to travel much, and she was very shy. She was one of those cats who is gentle but lazy and hides all the time. She practically freaked out and hid anywhere she could when my mum's family helped move us out of our old house and into our condominium. She was so desperate to find a bed to hide under, she jumped in between the columns on our staircase just run upstairs and get away from all the people.

I occasionally stuck my fingers in the carrier holes to pet and calm her down, but eventually, I gave in and opened the cage, just so she could roam around and calm down, but it made me nervous. She was an indoor cat and declawed on all of her paws, so if she ever got outside, I would very likely never see her again. That's how I lost my cat, Charlie.

I didn't really own Grace. She was my sister's cat. But I did have a black, longhaired Chihuahua named Pacer, but I couldn't take him. Dogs weren't on the list. Besides, he didn't like being picked up. He wasn't good around dogs, since they liked to pick on him, so he started biting when he thought he was being overwhelmed.

Cautious of her new surroundings, the fat grey tabby peered out with her curious emerald eyes and crawled carefully out of her carrier. She sniffed the air a bit and established the cabin's boundaries, walking around the cabin like she was on patrol, but in the end, hid under the seats. She was anxious about the new school too.

I sometimes pulled her out and set her on my lap when I was getting particularly anxious about someone opening the door, keeping my right foot propped up against the glass frame. But no one had come. At least she was good company.

I had moved onto my Pony Pals books when nightfall fell, hearing the train whistle blow and start to slow its decent.

"We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes," called a voice. "Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Wanting to finish the last couple of chapters of my book, I put Grace back into her cage and read until the train came to a complete stop. I peeked out of my cabin and saw many kids pulling on their school robes over they clothes before I quickly put on my robes as well. Though I was hesitant leaving my books and things behind. I brought three of my Pony Pals books with me, just in case I was bored. I was one of the few stragglers moving past the seats before stopped to ask the conductor about theft protocol.

"Excuse me, sir, but is it okay to leave my stuff onboard? It won't get stolen or left behind?"

I had a couple of past incidences where I had lost things due to my own carelessness or cruelty of another student. So I wanted to be absolutely sure my things were in good hands. The conductor, who was busy with preparations, ignored my plea and grumbled that 'they'll be fine.' However, a girl with short, blonde hair and dark brown eyes behind me answered my question more clearly.

"Stuff on the train isn't taken by anyone. It's magically teleported to the castle. My dad told me that."

"Oh..." I was about to ask more but she was quickly joined by a boy with short brown hair and led away into the crowd. Unsure of what to do, I followed after her towards the small crowd of younger children.

"Firs' years over here! Gather round!" We were greeted by a large, hairy man that hid most of his face. And I had thought my mother was tall! This gigantic man was at least a hundred and eighty two centimeters high, and he smelled of sweat and farm animals under his furry coat. A familiar scent that reminded me of home. I could already feel my stomach churn from homesickness.

"Is that all of yer? Good. Follow me. Mind yer step, now." He led us down a dirt path that led to a group of boats that the students began boarding. I was about to unconsciously follow the little blonde girl before I was strong armed into another group.

"No more than four to a boat!" the man bellowed as he pushed me to a group with a boy with thick brown hair and two other girls. One of which that happened to be the girl I had ran into earlier. With my cart.

Trying to avoid her line of vision, I sat next to the boy. His brown hair was thick and messy, having an almost permanent cowlick, but short enough not to fall over his ears or his eyes. Since he was around my height, I thought him to be the perfect bodily shield. But unfortunately, the stringy blonde girl right next to her took notice.

"Hi, my name's Leann, Leann Prescott," said the girl, who stuck out her hand and shook mine. "And this is my friend Robynn. She's an exchange student from Sweden."

"Hey..." I mumbled in embarrassment, now that the cart girl had finally noticed me.

"Oh! Hey...you," Robynn was straightening up her long robes a bit as the boats began to magically take off, simultaneously.

"Alice," I answered for her. "How's your lizard... Milo?"

"Oh, he's fine now. He's just hanging out on my shoulder at the moment," Robynn smiled and pointed to her left shoulder, which had the leopard gecko lazily resting. "He's not really into being in cages all the time, so you really did me a favor back there."

"Cool!" I exclaimed, reaching out to pet him before I hesitantly retracted my hand back. "Umm...Can I hold him?"

"Sure! As long as you don't drop him in the lake," she joked as she unhooked him from her shoulder while I started to flush red.

"No! Never!" I said, dead serious about my vow as I carefully held him close, making sure to keep him inside the boat. I had never held a lizard before, so I could feel excitement building from the sensation. The boy curiously gazed at the lizard in my hand. "Wow, this feels really weird, but kinda cool."

After we ducked underneath the cliff side, I quickly handed Milo back to Robynn, for fear of dropping him, before we were amazed by the welcoming, beautiful sight of Hogwarts castle. All the lights showed how large the castle really was, making it appear even more magical against the lantern lights of the boats. Because of sheer boredom and loss of interest, the boy next to me began immaturely poking Leann's back.

"Hey, quit it!" The blonde girl squealed as the boy kept poking her and began pushing a fake, toy spider at her. Robynn tried to stop him, but the boy just laughed and did it more. He even feigned to drop it down her shirt. It didn't help that he sat behind them.

"Hey, they said stop, so knock it off!" I proclaimed. The boy now turned his head towards me.

"Fine..." he said with a smirk before he leaned over and reached out to pull at a book on my lap. "Whatcha readin'?"

"Don't touch my books." I exclaimed, quickly pulling my book back from him.

"Why?" he leaned over again to grab at my book, but I blocked him with my elbow.

"Because I said so. Now leave me alone." But he still pulled at my book.

"I said, leave me ALONE!" With that, I ripped my book away and blindly pushed him into the lake. He yelped and flailed around helplessly like a drowned rat before he screamed loudly, saying that something touched his leg. Suddenly, it wrapped around him and pushed him back into the boat before it retreated back into the water. The lantern light illuminated it enough to show it was a large, grey tentacle. Stunned with fear, we all crouched together in silence before we made it to the docks.

"Alright, everyone gather together up the-" the burly man began before he noticed the dripping boy. "What happened to you?"

"She pushed me in!" the boy pointed at me, anger returning from the ocean encounter.

"After you were messing with me and my friends!" I fired back.

"Alright, that's enough. Both of you are gonna half ta calm down. You don't want me ta half ta give you detention on your first night here, would ya?"

"No..." we both grumbled in defeat.

"Good. Now, here. Take my coat and dry off. Everyone else, step right this way!" the giant called out, handing the boy the sweaty fur coat off his back, and lead the other students up to the castle's entrance. The knock from his large, meaty hand echoed loudly on the antiquated, wooden door as it creaked open to reveal a portly woman in earthy, brown robes. Her patchwork wizard hat seemed to barely contain her flyaway, curly grey hair.

"Here are the first years, Professor Sprout,"

"Thank you, Hagrid." she smiled, finally revealing the giant man's name as she led us into the foyer. The whole place was beautiful. It was more than what I had expected the castle to look like. It was like a medieval Cinderella's castle!

"Welcome to Hogwarts. You will be able to join your classmates at start of term banquet shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great hall, you will be sorted into your houses," Professor Sprout began. "The Sorting ceremony is very important because, while you are here, your house will be like your family. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will make you lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. I'm sure each and every one of you will be a credit to whichever house you join. The sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. So please wait here quietly until I come back when we're all ready for you."

Right as she turned and left, the students began murmuring amongst themselves.

"I heard the Ravenclaws are really smart," said one girl.

"I hope I end up in Gryffindor. My whole family is from that House," said a boy, who looked like he was starting to sweat out of his eyeballs.

"Better that than Slytherin, or worse, Hufflepuff," remarked another.

"What's wrong with Hufflepuff?"

"Only the most ordinary witches and wizards get into that house. They'll take virtually anybody!"

"While Slytherin may contain a lot of pureblood, Dark Wizards, at least they have some selection process."

_'A lot to choose from...'_ I thought to myself before I turned towards Leann. "Do you think we get to choose which House we'll be in or that we'll be picked?"

"I don't know, but I hope that I end up in a nice house."

I hoped that I at least got picked. I was always picked last in every sport we ever played at my old school. It wasn't that I was bad at any of them. It was that no one wanted to be stuck with Alice Witchburn.

"So are you nervous?" Robynn asked, more for herself than for us.

"Yeah, but kinda excited. My little brothers have been wanting to go to Hogwarts for years. They're so jealous that I'm going here first."

"My sister's jealous too." I stated, "But not just because I'm a witch. She just doesn't like that I get to go to a 'fancier' school than hers. She thinks my mom is showing favoritism."

"Why? Isn't your sister a witch too? Or is she a squib?"

"...Did you just call my sister a_ squid_?" I deadpanned.

"Not squid, dummy. _Squib_."

"Oh... What's a squib?"

"What's a squi-? Oh, are you muggleborn?"

"What's a muggle-born?"

"Oh, you have got a lot to learn." she sighed. "Muggle-born means that you have no magical parents. That you were born from muggles."

"Oh, so that's my family," spoke up Robynn, who hid easily beside me. She was very short compared to me. But then again, I towered over nearly everybody my age.

"My mom's a witch, but my dad's not. What does that mean?"

"Ohhh, so you're a halfblood. Mine too. On my dad's father's side."

"So your dad is a wizard, but your grandfather isn't?"

"Yep. You're only a pureblood if all of your parents and their parents are wizards for three generations. My grandfather wasn't magic, but my grandmother was. So is my dad. He's kinda in prison right now."

"What?!" I yelped at this new, stunning revelation.

"Oh, it's fine. He's totally innocent. That dumb law with muggles seeing magic sent the aurors on him when my stepsister spied on him. He was performing a charm and got sent to Azkaban because she ratted on him. She lied and said he placed a hex on her or something just to put him in jail. My stepsister really hates my dad."

"Oh...kay.." I started to worry in concern for a whole number of levels, especially about my home life and having to deal with my dad or his girlfriend. Professor Sprout returned before Leann could say anything more.

"Alright, we're all ready for you. Put on a smile for your new classmates," Sprout grinned cheerfully as she pushed open the double doors, which revealed a large hall with four long tables. Floating candles twinkled above near the ceiling, which enchantingly looked like the night sky. We walked in an disorganized line in between the two center tables, which seemed to be color coded with students wearing red and gold ties on the right and black and yellow students on the right.

"Welcome everyone, to another year at Hogwarts. Before we begin the first years sorting ceremony, I have a few warnings," said an old woman, who was clad in emerald green robes and standard black witch's hat. She seemed to be the principal of the school. "The Dark Forrest is expressly forbidden to all students. You are also not allowed to visit Hogsmeade unless you are a third year or above and have written permission to do so from a parent or guardian. No first years are allowed to be in possession of a broomstick, as well as many things listed on our grounds keeper, Mr. Filtch's office, should anyone like to see. The latter applies to all students."

"Also, I would like to welcome our newest Defense Against the Dark Arts. Straight from the Ministry's Aurors' office, please welcome Professor Neville Longbottom. I'm sure you will all do your best to make him feel welcome."

Many excited whispers began circulating around the room.

"It's him! It's really him!"

"You know, he helped the Harry Potter defeat You-Know-Who! He was one of the founding members of the original Dumbledore's Army!"

"He destroyed one of the Horcruxes with the sword of Gryffindor!"

"Wow, I really want to be in Gryffindor now!"

"I know! I want to hold that sword too!"

Judging by how excited everyone was, the new professor appeared to be a real celebrity. But he appeared to be a pretty average bloke. All of this talk of swords, whore crucks, hairy potters, and dumbly doors or whatever, sounded like a bunch of nerdy Dungeons and Dragons talk. And not the PG kind.

All I knew is that a lot of people were praising an ordinary man with the name that hideously combined the names 'long' and 'bottom' in the same sentence. Maybe my last name wasn't the worst name ever. Maybe this year I wasn't going to be made fun of?

"Alright now, settle down. We shall commence with the ceremony." Sprout pulled out a stool and set an old, patchwork hat on top. The tawny thing looked pretty ordinary before I gaped as the stitches and wrinkles formed into a mouth and began to sing. It sang of brave Gryffindors, loyal Hufflepuffs, clever Ravenclaws, and cunning Slytherins before it finished. Everyone clapped, but I was still in a state of shock. It was like my mom's teapot all over again!

Then Professor Sprout began to call us by name. They would put the hat on top of the person's head and the hat would think and call out a house name. After the first few names, the novelty wore off and I pulled out my book and began reading. My name had always been last, so it was going to be a while before I was called on.

"Davenport, Robynn." My eyes ventured as my friend wandered up to the stool. She was a bit nervous in trying to get on the stool, as she was more shy and self conscious about her height, somehow managing to hop onto the chair without falling over. The hat wrinkled in contemptation before it shouted-

"HUFFLEPUFF!" People clapped as she shakily walked over to the yellow and black table next to us. She waved, still shaking slightly from the experience, only she had a relieved grin now. With a slight nod, I returned back to my book as the names D through H were being read.

"I hope I'm in Gryffindor," I overheard a boy with messy dark brown hair whispered to the blonde haired girl to next to him. "Just like Harry Potter."

"You do know that all the members of our families have been in Slytherin, correct?" the girl replied.

"That doesn't mean anything," came the boy's quick protest.

"Harmon, River."

"That's me," the boy commented brightly, bouncing slightly. "Wish me luck?"

"Good luck," the girl replied with a grin. "I'll talk to you when we're both sorted."

River plopped excitedly on the stool, utterly thrilled as the hat was placed on his head. Its brow furrowed for about a minute, leaving everyone in dead silence.

"GRYFFINDOR!" it finally called out as River jumped off the stool with glee, a goofy-looking grin plastered to his face. His friend now sat in stunned silence. Her thoughts back-peddled everything she had said previously.

"Please let me be sorted into Gryffindor," the girl whispered from where she stood in front of me. _"Please."_

Though I did not have the sharpest of ears, I did hear this sad, desperate plea. I felt kind of bad for her. If Leann and I were put into any house other than Hufflepuff, my newest friends and I would be separated. And I knew, from prior experience, that if your friends weren't in the same class as you, you would often grow apart.

Of course, if that boy that I had just met were put into the same house as mine, there would be hell to pay.

"Morgenstern, Nicole." The girl in front of me now moved, and I actually became interested in what the hat was going to say. She seemed familiar, but I couldn't place her face. I then recalled that she was the girl that had told me about the luggage on the train.

Her every footstep seemed to say "Put-me-in-Gryf-fin-dor, not-Sly-ther-in!" The hat had barely stayed on her head for five seconds before it yelled-

"SLYTHERIN!"

Apparently, her mantra wasn't enough. She appeared down-trodden as her gaze met with River's from across the tables. Not only were they not in the same house together; they were in rival houses. They were now going to be enemies.

Sad that it had not worked out for Nicole, I reluctantly returned back to my book. She seemed close enough with the boy, and he with her. Why did they have to be separated just because a hat said so?

"Prescott, Leann."

"RAVENCLAW!"

I barely had time to break my concentration and notice that my friend was placed in Ravenclaw. Now Leann and Robynn were separated! What kind of system was this?! Now I had to choose between Robynn and Leann? And that was if I even had a choice. What would happen if I ended up in Gryffindor or Slytherin with that Nicole girl?

Anxious, I kept rereading the same two pages of my book, over and over, as the names went on. Proudfoot, Roberts, Smith, Tandril, Underhill. Finally, they were on the Ws. Only a couple of us were left.

"Williams, Matthew." It was the boy that I had accidentally pushed overboard. He stalked up to Professor Sprout and sat there for a minute and a half. Surprisingly, the hat took longer with him than anyone else. Finally, at the two minute mark, it called out-

"SLYTHERIN!" Everyone clapped loudly, grateful that it had finally chosen a house. This just put me on a greater edge of panic. I was now doing the opposite of Nicole Morgenstern. I was now begging, no- PLEADING- to the gods of luck, fate, fortune or any that would listen that I would not end up in Slytherin.

"Witchburn, Alice." Hardly having anytime to think, I marched towards the four-legged stool. I flushed with bitter embarrassment as more than a couple whispers broke out in the Great Hall at the sound of my last name while I sat down.

"Miss Witchburn, did you not hear the instruction to leave all your belongings on the train, untouched?" said McGonagall, who looked strictly down upon me. This startled everyone, since it was rare that someone was scolded in public, especially by the Headmistress herself.

"Yes ma'am, but... I didn't want anyone to steal my books." A look of disbelief overtook her at my retort as a couple chuckles broke out from the audience, literally feeling Matthew boring lasers at my head, before Professor Sprout resumed placing the hat upon my head. I then heard a tiny little voice that quickly murmured the word 'smart' before a split second later, a loud voice blasted in my ear nearly scared me out of my wits.

"RAVENCLAW!" The table on the far left with everyone clad in blue clapped as I hopped off the stool, still slightly put off and alarmed by the hat's voice.

"Well, Miss Witchburn, as a Ravenclaw, I hope you choose when to read more wisely." McGonagall regarded as I flushed red from head-to-toe. I didn't even want to THINK about what Matthew was looking or saying about me as I marched towards the Ravenclaw's table. How humiliating!

Leann patted me on the back, grateful that we were in the same house together. But I could not focus anymore. Shame was now etched into my very DNA.

The last couple of people were sorted, and with that, the feast began. I didn't even care that it appeared magically in front of us. For the rest of the evening, I stuffed my face and kept my eyes from wandering towards anyone's line of vision.

**Author's note: While it is in my prior knowledge that with what J.K. Rowling has stated about when certain characters have done what, such as Neville Longbottom becoming a teacher in 2011, I do have to remind you that this is fanfiction. The rules will be slightly bent for plot purposes and overall merriment. And with that, I hope you enjoy the fiction as much as I do in writing it with my constituents.**


	5. Chapter 5: Separation Anxiety

**Chapter 5: Separation Anxiety**

Gryffindor, please oh please put me in Gryffindor, had been my plea to the sorting hat from the moment it had been placed on my head, not that my pleading had done me any good. I was in Slytherin and, for the first time in my life, separated from my best friend. Around me students were chatting easily with their friends. I spotted Brook further down the table whispering to Ashley and Rachel, my friends from a past year. Their eyes glanced my way and they giggled, making my flush and glance down at the food I'd been shoving around on my plate. I'd been starving before the ceremony, despite the chocolate frogs River and I had shared on the Hogwarts Express, but now it felt as if my appetite had washed away. I was far away from home with none of my friends or family to make up for the unfamiliarity.

"Are you feeling okay?" The sudden voice made me jump and I turned to look at the girl with curly brown hair next to me.

"Yeah," I said, forcing a smile. "It's a big adjustment."

"It is," she replied with a grin. "But it's so exciting. I'm Jenna by the way. Jenna Compton."

"Nicole Morgenstern." I offered her my hand just like I'd been taught and she shook it, her eyes wide.

"Morgenstern as in the Pure-Blood Morgenstern's?" she asked, something akin to hero worship in her eyes. My family was famous for historical records and for seemingly escape criticism during both periods of Voldemort's reigns of terror. It left me a huge name to live up to which only made the intimidation of being in Slytherin where everyone knew my family's name. With River it would have been tolerable but now it was simply intimidating.

"Yes," I told her, keeping my smile on place.

"It's such an honor to meet you," Jenna told me, her eyes bright. "I'm sure you are going to be the golden girl of Slytherin. My parents will never believe I'm in the same class as you." I flushed and nodded politely, feeling relief wash over me as she turned back to her other friends. Ever since Brook had taken away my chosen group of companions I'd been uncertain and a little bit frightened by interaction with people I didn't know. Where before it had been simple to chat with someone else, I know found it incredibly intimidating.

I glanced over at the Gryffindor table and saw River chatting with Tyler. A pang of loneliness washed over me as I watched them. If I would have been sorted into Gryffindor I would have been chatting with them and enjoying the meal like everyone else. Instead I was here. As soon as dinner ended I followed the rest of my classmates towards the dungeon where the Slytherin students were housed. The girl's dormitory was a little dim, candles flickering where they floated in midair just like in the Great Hall. I settled on a bed in the back corner as far away from everyone else as I could get, feeling more alone than ever.

I unpacked slowly, listening to every other girl giggle and chatter excitedly. My books when carefully in a drawer next to the bed, the one on loan from River resting on the top of the nightstand along with a photograph of my family. Mum and Dad smiled and waved at me while Danny stuck out his tongue at me. I bit down a little watery giggle at that. I missed my family deeply and tears stung on my eyes but I pushed them down. My family was lauded here. I couldn't let them down. I curled up under the blankets and tried not to cry myself to sleep.

Morning came with a skittering sound under my bed. For a moment my blurry mind thought it was Danny playing some kind of prank on me. The reality sank in. I was alone in a dormitory full of girls in Slytherin House. And my Silver Footed Ferret, Hermione after the famous Hermione Granger, wanted out of her cage. Mum and Dad had given Hermione to me for my eleventh birthday this summer and I had been very excited to discover that I could bring her to Hogwarts. I had thought River and I would be able to hang out with Hermione darting about between us like we'd done over the summer in each other's homes. Now River was in Gryffindor so that dream was shattered but I still had Hermione.

I slipped out of bed, shivering when my feet touched the cold stone of the floor, and knelt to pull her cage out from under my bed. "Sorry sweetie," I whispered, opening it and scooping her up to place her on my bed. Hermione made a chirping noise at me and then curled up in the covers. I giggled softly at the sight she made and then went to the end of my bed to open my trunk. All the other girls were still sleeping peacefully, not that I cared much. I didn't have any friends here. No one had even bothered trying to talk to me besides Jenna. "I'm going to get cleaned up," I informed Hermione from where she was watching under the warmth of my comforter. "Stay put." She blinked at me and then huffed, closing her eyes. I grinned and, taking a fresh uniform with me, headed for the girl's washroom.

It took all of twenty minutes for me to return, pulling my blonde hair into a ponytail. My bangs clung damply to my forehead, not that I cared about it much. I'd had bangs for as long as I could remember so I was used to their quirks. Hermione was waiting just where I'd left her, sound asleep. She could be an adventurous ferret if she wanted to but if she had made herself a nest she wasn't prone to moving until after she'd had a nap. I carefully cleaned out her cage, just like Mum had shown me and then settled next to Hermione, reaching for my borrowed book. Soon I was lost in the world of dragons until the noise became loud enough to let me know that the other girls were awake. My stomach rumbled, insisting I find something to eat, so I put down the book and followed Jenna and her friends out of the dormitory.

In the Great Hall I found myself searching for River, as if I could just sit down next to him and eat with him as if we were in the same house. An older girl almost ran into me and I shook my head to clear it, settling down at the Slytherin table. I ate breakfast faster than any of the other Slytherin students around me since I had no one to talk to and I found myself wishing that I had my book again. At least then I wouldn't feel so lonely. I could hear Brook laughing further down the table, my mind still attuned to it from years of being around her. I forced my gaze down to the tabletop, my eyes tracing the whorls and spirals of the wood.

Professor Slughorn walked down the table handing out our schedules for classes. I stared at mine eagerly, unable to keep the grin from spreading across my face at the revelation that we had potions with Gryffindor first thing today. I would actually get to see River in at least one class. It was going to be the one bright spot in my day today. I let my gaze wander about the Great Hall and they settled on River who waved his schedule at me cheerfully over his breakfast plate. I couldn't help but grin back. He looked so happy there. It made it difficult for me to be anything but happy for him. Maybe this would work out after all.


End file.
